Back when I was in school teachers would always scare me with stories of how my exploits would end up in my permanent record. I believe this is it! – Geoff Fox

The Andy Griffith Role You Might Have Missed

Griffith’s first movie role was Lonesome Rhodes in ‘A Face in the Crowd.’ He played one of the most despicable on-screen characters ever–a two faced, power hungry megalomaniac. Rhodes was a backwoods musician catapulted to instant fame on television. Once he saw what his fame brought he wanted more and wouldn’t let truth, propriety, or even the contempt he held for his own fans stand in his way.

Sadly, Andy Griffith died today. There will be remembrances and accolades. His career was long and full of success.

From Twitter: Ron Howard ‏@RealRonHoward
Andy Griffith His pursuit of excellence and the joy he took in creating served generations & shaped my life I’m forever grateful RIP Andy

Most of us remember Andy as Sheriff Andy Taylor (249 episodes) or as Matlock (181 episodes). There’s one more role you might have missed.

Griffith’s first movie role was Lonesome Rhodes in ‘A Face in the Crowd.’ He played one of the most despicable on-screen characters ever–a two faced, power hungry megalomaniac. Rhodes was a backwoods musician catapulted to instant fame on television. Once he saw what his fame brought he wanted more and wouldn’t let truth, propriety, or even the contempt he held for his own fans stand in his way.

The movie starred Griffith and Patricia Neal. It was written by Budd Schulberg and directed by Elia Kazan who had paired earlier for Brando’s ‘On The Waterfront.’.

From Bosley Crowther’s review, New York Times – May 29, 1957: In a way, it is not surprising that this flamboyant Lonesome Rhodes dominates the other characters in the story and consequently the show. For Mr. Schulberg has penned a powerful person of the raw, vulgar, roughneck, cornball breed, and Mr. Griffith plays him with thunderous vigor, under the guidance of Mr. Kazan.

This is Andy Griffith in a way you’ve never seen him. He was gritty and evil.

The movie still runs on Turner Classic Movies from time-to-time. It was a role of a lifetime and worth seeing even today.

12 thoughts on “The Andy Griffith Role You Might Have Missed”

Never seen him in this role Geoff. I watch TCM quite often….so I will keep a look out for this movie. Would love to see him in this kind of role. I grew up on Andy Griffith, as many of us did, felt like I lost part of my childhood today……

TCM is airing it this week: A Face in the Crowd will air at 1:45 A.M. Friday morning July 6 (late Thursday night, July 5). I’m surprised that you speak of it as if it’s unknown, though. I thought that movie and “No Time for Sergeants” were his big claim to fame. Funny you should speak of it. I was just alluding to that movie, earlier this week, describing the sequences in which “Dusty” tries to teach a stuffy politician how to appear more folksy and cracker-barrel to the electorate.

I grew up in a New England version of “Mayberry” — we had our Barney, our Goober, Otis, Floyd, Aunt Bea, and plenty of Opies. Sheriff Andy was my dad and my uncle. I thought this was how life was supposed to be. I still think so.

There is one other not to well known movie that Andy made. I can’t tell you the name but he played a southern slave owner and in the movie he felt that a slave was just property, nothing more, to wit he murdered one slave for which he was condemed to death and his final scene was him sitting in the electric chair still professing his right to kill the black farm worker.
This movie doesn’t get much publicity I suspect because of the racial thing.
He did a good job there to.